Food scoop with base sealing panels

ABSTRACT

A food scoop has a peripheral sidewall formed by opposing sidewall panels having folded connections with a bottom panel. Overlapping side edges of the sidewall panels are secured to form the body of the food scoop with an open upper mouth. Sealing panels are folded inwardly from the bottom edges of the sidewall and overlap the bottom panel and bear downwardly on it due to the resiliency of the material of which the food scoop is constructed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/487,346, filed on Apr. 19, 2017, entitled “Food Scoop with Base Sealing Panels,” currently pending, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Food retail establishments, especially quick service restaurants and fast food outlets, commonly use food scoops to dispense various food items such as popcorn, French fries, food nuggets and other products. The food scoops are typically constructed of paperboard or a similar material and are manufactured in various ways, usually involving folding a pre-constructed paperboard blank and gluing flaps and other parts together.

The bottom area of the food scoop is of particular concern because any gaps or discontinuities in the bottom or along the lower edges allow food scraps, seasonings and condiments to leak out. Thus, in the past, the bottom has been constructed using glued together parts to secure against leakage. The need for glue on the lower parts of the food scoop adds an extra step and extra expense to the manufacturing operation.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,403 to Cai, U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,414 to Cai and U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,190 to Yocum are all examples of food scoops having a construction requiring excessing glue joints and having other drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an improved food scoop characterized by a bottom construction in which folded sealing panels extending inwardly from the peripheral sidewall are in contact with the bottom panel which may be an integral part of the sidewall. The sealing panels may overlap the bottom panel and may be maintained in contact with its upper surface due to the resilient construction and fold lines forming joined between the sealing panels and the bottom panel. In one embodiment, the sealing panels press downwardly to bear against the bottom panel to seal against it without the need for glue, although glue or another bonding agent may be applied in an alternative embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like or similar parts in the various views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a food scoop in accordance with the teachings of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a first side view of a food scoop in accordance with the teachings of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a food scoop in accordance with the teachings of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a food scoop in accordance with the teachings of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a partially folded blank of a food scoop in accordance with the teachings of one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a top view of an unfolded blank of a food scoop in accordance with the teachings of one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description of the invention references the accompanying drawing figures that illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is defined by the appended claims and the description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and shall not limit the scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

The present invention is directed toward a food scoop 10 that includes a peripheral sidewall 12 that extends upwardly from a bottom panel 40 and terminates in an upper open mouth. The sidewall 12 is of a generally square cross section adjacent a lower end (though the front and rear sides of the sidewall bow outwardly) and transitions to a generally circular cross section adjacent an upper end. As illustrated in the figures below, the sidewall 12 is formed from a front wall panel 14 and a rear wall panel 16, each having side edge portions 18 and 20, respectively, that are adhesively bonded in a generally overlapping relationship to form opposing side seams 22. In one embodiment, the food scoop 10 may comprise a paperboard material, but any foldable sheet material is within the scope of the present invention.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, food scoop 10 has a front wall panel 14 that includes a top edge 24, a bottom edge 26 and opposing side edges 28 and 30. Likewise, the rear wall panel 16 includes a top edge 32, a bottom edge 34 and opposing side edges 36 and 38. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the top edge 24 of the front wall panel 14 has a generally concave shape, while the top edge 32 of the rear wall panel 16 has a generally convex shape. The bottom edges 26 and 34 of front and rear panels 14 and 16 are foldably joined to a bottom panel 40 in folded areas 42 and 44. The bottom panel 40 serves to close off the lower or base end of the scoop 10.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, sealing flaps or panels 46 are provided extending from the bottom edge 34 of the rear panel 16. One sealing panel 46 is located on a left side of the rear panel 16 and another sealing panel 46 is located on a right side of the rear panel 16. As illustrated in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the sealing panels 46 are foldably joined to the bottom edge 34 of the rear panel 16. A cut or slit 48 (see FIG. 6) is made adjacent the side edges 50 and 52 of the bottom panel 40 so that the sealing panels 46 may be folded with respect to the rear panel 16.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the sealing panels 46 extend from the bottom edge 26 of the front panel 14. In yet another embodiment (not shown), sealing panels 46 extend from both the bottom edge 26 of the front panel 14 and the bottom edge 34 of the rear panel 16.

As demonstrated in FIG. 3, when the scoop 10 is fully formed, the sealing panels 46 extend generally horizontally from the bottom edge 34 of the rear panel 16. The sealing panels 46 extend inwardly from the left and right edge portions 20 and 22 into a central portion of the scoop 10 and are generally in contact with the upper surface of the bottom panel 40. No adhesive or glue is used to hold the sealing panels 46 in place. Instead, after the sealing panels 46 are folded, they have a tendency to return or spring back down to their natural and initial positions due to the resilience of the material comprising the scoop, which is in the same general original plane as the side edge portions 20 of the rear panel 16, but the sealing panels 46 are prevented from doing so and, therefore, are held in place by the upper surface of the bottom panel 40. When food items are placed in the scoop 10, those food items further press the sealing panels 46 against the upper surface of the bottom panel 40. As such, each sealing panel 46 is seated in a position that generally seals, closes and/or covers any gap(s) that would otherwise result between the side edges 50 and 52 of the bottom panel 40 and the surrounding sidewall 12. This feature and functionality may occur without the necessary production step of applying glue and pressing the sealing panels against the bottom panel 40 in order to secure the sealing panels 46 to bottom panel 40.

In another embodiment (not shown), the sealing panels 46, rather than resting upon the upper surface of the bottom panel 40, may be glued or otherwise secured (e.g., with adhesive) against the lower surface of the bottom panel 40. Again, such a configuration is designed to generally seal, close and/or cover any gap(s) that would otherwise result between the side edges 50 and 52 of the bottom panel 40 and the surrounding sidewall 12.

While referred to herein as “sealing” panels, it will be appreciated that the sealing panels 46 are designed to generally close and prevent any gap(s) that would otherwise result between the side edges 50 and 52 of the bottom panel 40 and the surrounding sidewall 12. While it may be possible with the addition of adhesive or hot melt, the sealing panels 46 do not necessarily form a watertight seal in the primary embodiment. As such, the sealing panels 46 are provided to generally prevent dried contents and viscous substances from escaping through the base end of the scoop 10.

As demonstrated in FIG. 6, the front wall panel 14, rear wall panel 16, bottom panel 40 and sealing panels 46 are formed from a single piece of material or blank 54. The blank 54 may include score or fold lines 56 formed therein. When the scoop 10 is formed, the fold lines 56 extend upwardly and outwardly from the corners 58 of the bottom panel 40 and allow for flattening or shaping of the lower end of the sidewall 12 so that it may be formed into a cross sectional shape generally similar to that of the bottom panel 40.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objectives hereinabove set forth together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A food scoop comprising: a bottom panel; a peripheral sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom panel and terminating in an open upper mouth; a first wall panel on the peripheral sidewall; a second wall panel on the peripheral sidewall; a pair of side portions of the first and second sidewalls overlapping to effect a pair of side seams on the peripheral wall; and a sealing panel on at least one of the first and second wall panels folded to extend therefrom and located and arranged in contact with the bottom panel.
 2. The food scoop of claim 1, wherein: the bottom panel has an upper surface; and the sealing panel is in contact with the upper surface of the bottom panel.
 3. The food scoop of claim 2, wherein the peripheral sidewall and the sealing panel comprise resilient material effecting a downward bearing force of the sealing panel against the upper surface of the bottom panel.
 4. A food scoop comprising: a bottom panel having an upper surface; a peripheral sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom panel and terminating in an upper open mouth; first and second wall panels on the sidewall each having first and second side portions, the first side portion of the first wall panel overlapping the second side portion of the second wall panel to form a first side seam and the second side portion of the first wall panel overlapping the first side portion of the second wall panel to form a second side seam; a first bottom edge on the first side portion of the second wall panel; a second bottom edge on the second side portion of the second wall panel; a first sealing panel on the first bottom edge folded to extend inwardly therefrom in contact with the upper surface of the bottom panel; and a second sealing panel on the second bottom edge folded to extend inwardly therefrom in contact with the upper surface of the bottom panel.
 5. The food scoop of claim 4, wherein the first and second portions of the second wall panel are interior to the first and second portions of the first wall panel.
 6. The food scoop of claim 4, wherein each of the first and second panels extends generally horizontally from the respective first and second bottom edges.
 7. The food scoop of claim 4, wherein the first wall panel is joined to the bottom panel at a first folded area and the second wall panel is joined to the bottom panel at a second folded area, at least one of the first and second folded areas defining a curve.
 8. The food scoop of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first and second sealing panels comprises resilient material effecting a downward bearing force against the bottom panel.
 9. A paperboard blank for a food scoop according to claim
 4. 